Bookshelves are packed with self-help titles that claim to be able to transform the reader into the person he or she has always dreamed of being. However, getting to that point isn’t about getting engrossed in a book as much as doing some actionable things that’ll help you make progress.

10 Steps to Become the Person You Want to Be

There are 10 steps you need to follow in order to become the person you want to be. These are generic, so apply to you no matter who you want to become. Follow these 10 steps and begin to watch your life change.

1) Feel Free to Experiment With Career Paths

Many people dutifully follow the career paths they believe are set out for them, rarely or never taking time to see if other lines of work are more appropriate.

Even if you feel fairly certain of what you intend to do with your life, give yourself permission to explore, possibly by taking workshops or short-term college courses that give a window into another vocation.

2) Always Be Willing to See Alternative Perspectives

Learning from others is another way to help you become a better person. Some people become so locked into viewpoints they have learned over the years they aren’t willing to consider other ways of seeing things. Strive to always keep your heart and mind open to the ideas associated with other, new perspectives.

3) Give Your Time as Much as You Can

Volunteering is known to have many benefits, including a better overall quality of life. Being a volunteer can also make you feel extremely grateful for all you have while you work to improve yourself.

4) Try Hard to Relate Well to Others

So much of what we do in life is tied to relationships, whether they’re relationships with work colleagues, romantic interests or friends.

It’s important to work hard to keep those relationships healthy through good times and bad. Often, the people in our lives give gentle but pointed guidance about which areas we still need to work on to become the people we’ve always wanted to be.

5) Have Your Own Abode

Your own living space represents a huge step on the path of life. Being able to maintain a residence shows you have financial stability and are responsible, plus it allows you to proudly show off your personality through the decor of the house. As a good first step, start browsing rental properties you can afford.

Eventually, once you’re able to find a community that makes you feel truly at home, you can look at possibly buying a home there.

6) Take Responsibility for Your Actions

When things don’t go as planned, it can be tempting to try and blame others.

However, instead of jumping to that option as your first reaction, examine the situation carefully and determine the role you had in how everything turned out. Doing that can be tough, but it tends to offer valuable lessons. If necessary, admit fault and aim to make amends where possible.

7) Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Personal growth isn’t as likely to happen if you live a life that’s very repetitive and not challenging. Be bold and regularly do things that are a little scary, but allow you to develop new skills.

8) Be Kind Without Expecting Reciprocity

Most of us were raised on the principle of being kind to people. It’s important to go further though, and perform acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. Then, you’ll feel truly fulfilled, just by knowing you made someone’s life better in some small way.

9) Take Care of Your Body

The human body is surprisingly resilient.

However, that doesn’t provide a license for knowingly and repeatedly doing things that are harmful to it. Eventually, all those bad choices have ways of catching up to us. If you smoke, drink too much, don’t eat well or rarely exercise, start making positive and gradual changes.

Collectively, they’ll ensure you feel at your best during self improvement efforts.

10) Find Value in Experiences

People often measure their worth in terms of how much they have. If a person has a nice car, large home and many other non-essential possessions, he or she is often considered to be doing well.

However, it’s crucial to break free of that mindset and realize life’s experiences are sometimes as valuable, or even more so, than tangible items.

Getting to have a conversation with someone you have looked up to for a long time, or strolling on a vacant beach while lost deep in thought are just two examples of things that don’t cost money, but have tremendous value.

Conclusion

It should be obvious from this list that becoming the person you’ve always wanted doesn’t involve embarking on a straightforward path.

The road may twist sometimes, and you may make a few turns that seem “wrong” at the time, but personal improvement is an ongoing process that can bring immense satisfaction.

Anything to add to these steps to become the person you want to be? Leave a comment below.